FBC – 173 – I Found My New Hero & Inspiration

I Found My New Hero & Inspiration.

Sometimes the most powerful inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. In this episode of the Freedom By Choice podcast, I share how a 13-year-old girl named Adri on Sumba Island in Indonesia became my biggest source of inspiration, and what her courage and resilience taught me about gratitude, determination, and what truly matters in life.

Today I want to talk to you about the person that inspired me the most lately and possibly in my entire life. This weekend was life-changing and eye-opening for me.
Here are the details about what I learned and what I thought I knew (but actually didn't know).

My weekend was absolutely awesome. It was really good. A lot of life changing experiences for me. It was really cool, very intense, actually.

So, you know, I was on the Sumba Island yesterday, so I went with Claire, Richard and my good friend Hussain, who is well-connected and is doing a lot of good on this island. And we got to visit this school.

And it was an amazing experience because we had a welcome party when we got there. And it was like traditional dances from the island. I mean, there were hundreds of kids waiting for us and stuff and clapping along and everything. And we didn't expect it.  It was really moving.

And then we got the testimonial of two little girls who well, basically started talking about who they were, what their parents did and their everyday life and their dreams. And there was this little girl and she particularly moved me. This little girl, she was just amazing. Her name is Adriano.

And she said we can call her Adri. She was 13. And she basically took the time and she had the courage to come and talk to us in English. Right. And yeah, she told us about herself.

And the amazing thing about this little girl is that she had a big smile on her face. She had the most wonderful smile. You could see you could see an aura around her. And, you know, she's just a happy kid. And she was telling us all, “My parents are farmers, we have a very simple life.

And I have to walk five kilometres every day just to go to school because I want to learn”. But she wasn't complaining about it. You know, these were just like circumstances. She really wants to learn. And she had a big smile on her face when she was saying that.

And I told them, you know what, I really admire you kids. You know, you might not realize it, but I wouldn't be able to do what you do. I wouldn't be able to walk that much to go to school. I mean, even the bus is picking me up. I didn't want to go to school, let alone if I had to walk. Right.

And you guys, despite the obstacles and difficulties and everything, you're like walking miles and miles to go to school and you do it with a smile.

And this is when you realize that, you know what? You don't need much to be happy. Right. So, you know, for this episode, it's just It's just a realization. I've travelled a lot and stuff. So I've seen circumstances where people have less than what we have in Europe and all that stuff.

But, you know, going to the school over there and seeing everything they need, you know, because there is a need for education. There's need for a better shelter for the kids. And like water and a lot of different things. Right. But it was a lot. You know, they need a lot, you know. And despite that, these kids were happy.

Key Insight: A 13-year-old girl on a remote Indonesian island, with almost nothing in material terms, showed more courage, gratitude, and determination than most adults with every advantage in the world. If she can face her circumstances with a smile and a dream, your excuses for not pursuing your goals have no ground to stand on.

Key Insight: True inspiration does not come from billionaires on magazine covers. It comes from ordinary people doing extraordinary things with limited resources. When you see someone thrive despite having far less than you, it resets your entire perspective on what is possible.

I Found My New Hero & Inspiration

So yes, for today it's basically just realizing that sometimes you have a bad day, you have a bad day, and, you know, you hate everybody and you complain. The bus was late. I missed my underground. I got to work five minutes late and then a car came and splashed me.

There was a pothole put or something as a puddle. Yeah. Yeah. And you complain and everybody will hear about it for the next month. And we have all a lot. Right? We have a lot more than a lot of people on this planet. But still, we complain about every single little detail of our day. Right. Instead of what I can see from these kids is that they are looking at the bright side.

So the thing is, we really want to do something, you know, it doesn't have to be monetary and everything. So just know someone who can help, if we can give some ideas and then bring help to these kids.

About the Author

Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

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• FBC – 8 – The Weirdest Challenge To Boost Your Confidence
• Other really cool tips that will give you an unfair advantage

How I turn gratitude into an actual tool

A 13-year-old on Sumba Island reset my whole perspective. Not with a quote. With her situation. Some kids there see their family once every three years just to get an education. I run four companies from Bali and I was complaining about a slow week. Perspective is the most practical motivation tool I own, and it costs nothing.

I made it a system, not a feeling. Every morning I write one specific thing that is already working. Not “I am grateful for my health.” Something exact, like a client who renewed or a workflow that ran while I slept. Specific gratitude changes what you notice, and what you notice changes what you build. I keep the fuller version of this in my story, and I talk through it on the Freedom by Choice podcast.

This is backed, not fluffy. Research on well-being and performance from Harvard Business Review connects perspective to better decisions, and McKinsey Digital keeps tying resilience to sustained output. Write one specific line tomorrow morning. Do it for a week. Watch how it changes the tasks you pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the hero mentioned in this episode?

The hero is a 13-year-old girl named Adri from Sumba Island in Indonesia. Despite growing up with very limited resources, she demonstrated remarkable courage by speaking in English to visitors, shared her dreams openly, and maintained an infectious positivity that moved everyone who met her.

What lesson does this story teach entrepreneurs?

If a child with almost no material advantages can maintain determination, gratitude, and a dream for her future, then anyone with more resources has no valid excuse for not pursuing their goals. Perspective is the most powerful motivational tool available to you.

What is the education project on Sumba Island?

The project aims to bring education directly to children on remote Indonesian islands so they do not have to leave their families and travel to Bali. Currently, some children only see their families once every three years because of the distance required to access education.